Bengaluru FC 3-1 Dempo SC: Sean Rooney leads the hosts to the summit

By Subramanian Pillai

The I-League debutants continue with their unbeaten run at home as they overcame Dempo SC with a 3-1 scoreline on Wednesday...

Bengaluru FC reclaimed top spot in the table after their 3-1 win over Dempo SC in a round six match of the I-League 2013-14 played at the Bangalore football stadium.

Siam Hanghal broke the deadlock in the 6th minute before Sean Rooney scored a brace (11', 61') to give the home side a three-goal cushion. Clifford Miranda reduced the margin of defeat in the 63rd minute from a free-kick.

Ashley Westwood included India skipper Sunil Chhetri in place of Thoi Singh in his first eleven while two other changes saw Rino Anto and Siam Hanghal replace Vishal Kumar and Melemngamba Meetei, while Arthur Papas continued with his winning combination that defeated East Bengal 3-1.Bengaluru FC settled quickly and took control of the game early on. Their very first attack saw John Menyongar setting up Sunil Chhetri whose shot was on target but didn't have enough to beat the Dempo keeper who only managed to parry it into the path of Hanghal. The midfielder finished into the top left corner to give the hosts the lead in the sixth minute.

Bengaluru extended their lead five minutes later. John Johnson played a long diagonal ball to Chhetri who played in Sean Rooney and the Australian finished well to double his side's advantage.

The home side dominated possession in the first half whilst remaining solid at the back with Johnson marshaling the rest of the back line. In the 18th minute, they ventured forward again as Rooney played a through ball to Darren Calderia whose shot was straight at the keeper.

Dempo were the more aggressive of the two teams in the second half and just two minutes after the break, Beto's free-kick caused problems inside the box for Bengaluru but it eventually found it's way into the hands of the keeper.

With Dempo pushing forward, Bengaluru were afforded more space as well. Keegan Pereira's through ball from the left in the 61st minute found Rooney in a one-on-one situation with the keeper. The striker calmly slotted his shot to the left of the visiting custodian to put his side 3-0 up.

Dempo kept plugging away and were rewarded when Clifford Miranda scored a magnificent goal from a free-kick just outside the box in the 64th minute. However, it only proved to be a consolation goal as neither side were able to create any clear-cut chances beyond that and the game ended in a comfortable 3-1 win for Bengaluru.

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